the wonder of technology

OK, so, you know how some people come into your life so circuitously, it's hard to even explain how they got there? It was always so easy when I was younger-- oh, we went to college together, or oh, we go to the same church. Now, 32 years, 4 states, an insanely crazy job, and an information superhighway later, I have these people, these lifeblood friends that I couldn't do without if I tried. I have bi-coastal coffee breaks with Ashley in Boston, talk to Erin while she's in Target in Texas, and watch the same DVR'd shows with Tom in New York while instant messaging. WOW, that's so nerdy and awesome.

Today I want to tell about the one that is Krysten. She and I met, as people these days often do, online. She grew up with an ex-boyfriend of mine, ran into him at their 10-year high school reunion, and they exchanged blog addresses, as we did in the pre-facebook era. She read my blog, which was linked on his blog, and I did the same. Soon we were exchanging blog comments... then e-mails... then phone calls... then one day (some time after the boyfriend had moved on,) I flew out to Phoenix to visit her. Four years later, I swear I see her more than any other friend or family member. At the very least, twice a year, sometimes for major holidays like Thanksgiving or Easter, always for at least one of our birthdays, and this year, a 2-week holiday to Europe. She is quite simply one of my most favourite people in the world, and one I wouldn't have met without the glory of the interwebs.

I bring her up today because she really made my day yesterday. We all have different friends who perform different roles in our lives. I always call Amy, for example, when I need a self-esteem boost, because she always always makes me feel good about myself. I call Danael when I need someone to really really listen. And I call Krysten when I need someone to reinforce what I already really know deep down, but am trying to justify something else. She is a hardass in the best possible sense of the word, and sometimes, I don't even need to call her, because I know what she'll say, and rather than disappoint her by telling her that I'm leaning toward the wrong decision, I just do what I know she'd tell me to do. I know that was like, the awkwardest sentence alive, but I trust she (at least) will know what I meant.

So, yesterday I was having somewhat of a low self-esteem day. It happens to the best of us, I know, and I'm not generally a low self-esteem kind of person, but I've been really busy, had a lot going on and not a lot of me time, and have had this one thing on my mind (the one I'm not asking her about because I know what she'll say) that is driving me crazy, with its little pointy edges, poking around in my head, and forcing me awake at 6am or God forbid, earlier. So yesterday, of course I was up early, forced that thing aside, spent the morning reading (I do love to escape into someone else's world for a bit), decided to go out, couldn't find a single outfit that made me feel any better about myself, got all disgruntled about money when my favourite sommelier was missing from the bar (the one that always refills my glass and "forgets" to charge me for it), until I got home, to a present from Krysten.

It wasn't anything major, just this fizzy bath thing from this store that we both like, but it was truly the thought that counted-- a surprise from one of my favourite people, for no reason at all, on a day when she had been on my mind. I stuck my nose down in the wrapping and immediately sneezed, a big, deep, fizzy-lemon sort of sneeze that made me laugh out loud and literally hug the box.

So, thanks, Krysten... for the gift of course-- I can't wait to use it, but also for being YOU, for inviting a stranger into your home and into your life, for always being thoughtful and supportive, and for being my conscience even when you don't know you're doing so. I think that's the very highest praise I can give you.